Half Moon Bay for Mavricks this Sunday

Leo O'Farrell

Leo O'Farrell

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Leo O'Farrell
My daughter is into surfing and Mavericks is this Sunday. The Mavericks website reports parking for the event is at the airport. http://mavericksinvitational.com/ Has anyone been recently, and did they close the airport? I'd like to fly in and walk to the event area, apparently the Piliar point roads and cliff is closed to spectators.

I frequently fly into the KHAF for seafood and park at the Princeton end of 30. Hope this still open for aviation this Sunday.

Thanks.

Leo
 
Leo O'Farrell said:
My daughter is into surfing and Mavericks is this Sunday. The Mavericks website reports parking for the event is at the airport. http://mavericksinvitational.com/ Has anyone been recently, and did they close the airport? I'd like to fly in and walk to the event area, apparently the Piliar point roads and cliff is closed to spectators.

I frequently fly into the KHAF for seafood and park at the Princeton end of 30. Hope this still open for aviation this Sunday.

Thanks.

Leo
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Check NOTAMs
 
When I worked for the Pebble Beach Golf Course I lived in Pacific Grove. I really did like that area.
But no way in yeck I would surf those waters. You folks that do this have some big ones for sure.
I use to watch the hang gliders off of half moon bay out over the water. It was always fun to watch.
Its been many years ago and I do miss it their.
 
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For what it's worth, they used to host a yearly classic car show and airplane show at the airport. It was a real zoo and planes were parked in the grass in rows parallel to the taxiways, but it remained open.
 
They still host "Dream Machines" and we always fly in.

http://www.miramarevents.com/dreammachines/lead.html

Lots to see, it's a big event. Took a ride in the DC-3 there several years back.

The Mavericks web site says they will have shuttles from the airport to the event. A buddy that lives there told me it looks like a lake this morning but they seem to think there will be a big surf.......
 
I didn't realize that - I haven't been in several years. I just might check that out.
 
I flew to KHAF for Mavericks about 7 years ago when it was midweek. We parked the plane on the south end near Princeton which was closer than cars were able to park. The newspaper said that officials estimated 25000 people there so it was definitely faster to drive to KPAO, preflight, fly, land, tie down, etc. than to drive over on 92 and wait in traffic. Traffic would be even worse if the event were on a weekend (and a holiday weekend at that).

There were no restrictions or anything like that. There were several helicopters in the area. They were mostly below 200 feet with TV cameras, though there was a CHP helicopter around 700 feet. Everyone was on CTAF.


-Paul
 
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Paul,
Did you overfly the surf? Could you see much or was the safe altitude too high? Did you walk to the beach? I'm planning on walking over to use the shuttle unless it's not too far to the beach. Having walked that direction a few times after lunch I think it's a pretty good hike.
 
Goofy said:
Paul,
Did you overfly the surf? Could you see much or was the safe altitude too high? Did you walk to the beach? I'm planning on walking over to use the shuttle unless it's not too far to the beach. Having walked that direction a few times after lunch I think it's a pretty good hike.
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It sounds fun. I might join you on Sunday.
 
How can they be so sure the swell will be so good so far out on the schedule? I'm up for flying over for video if we can be at the helicopter altitudes or slightly above if anybody wants to go....
 
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Goofy said:
They use buoy data collected far out to sea. It made me wonder too..... Hope they're right. A lot of guys usually fly in from far away at great expense. But, they've been doing this a long time without too many failures. Keep our fingers crossed :yesnod:

The "helicopter altitudes" are about 200'.....don't think you want to be there!

PS: here's an update from NOAA:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/wxstory.php?wfo=mtr
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/wxstory.php?wfo=eka
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Yeah, the buoys I knew about, it just seemed like a lot of days out to predict but if they're going for it already, that's a good sign, they've been at it a long time. We do actually want to be down very low for filming.
 
Leo O'Farrell said:
My daughter is into surfing and Mavericks is this Sunday. The Mavericks website reports parking for the event is at the airport. http://mavericksinvitational.com/ Has anyone been recently, and did they close the airport? I'd like to fly in and walk to the event area, apparently the Piliar point roads and cliff is closed to spectators.

I frequently fly into the KHAF for seafood and park at the Princeton end of 30. Hope this still open for aviation this Sunday.

Thanks.

Leo
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I wish her well, Mavericks is a hell of surf spot with some gnarly rocks and I understand that there is a pretty strong N.Pac storm going on so the swell should be awesome. I used to fly out there and shoot pics and videos of buddies surfing there. I'm assuming she's shredded on big waves before, this weekend won't be amateur hour.:no: Do you know what boat she's going out on? Doesn't much matter, most of the operators are pretty dang good.
 
Goofy said:
Paul,
Did you overfly the surf? Could you see much or was the safe altitude too high? Did you walk to the beach? I'm planning on walking over to use the shuttle unless it's not too far to the beach. Having walked that direction a few times after lunch I think it's a pretty good hike.
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I never flew over it on the competition, but many times when the surf was rockin and my buds were out there, often the deck was low at the time and I was operating below 100'. I'd never surf Mavs...:no::no::no: I just ain't that good and there are too many rocks to get pummeled into if you wipe out, that's no beach break. The people surfing that break in storm swells are freakin incredible, and I've landed at Half Moon Bay to load up a couple bleeding buddies and get them home because they were too beat up to drive.:lol:
 
My daughter learned to surf last summer staying Maui with my brother. She's only 16 and just wants to go for the event. I'm just glad she still wants to go anywhere with me :). We'll just be watching on screens in the parking lot like everybody else.
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
How can they be so sure the swell will be so good so far out on the schedule? I'm up for flying over for video if we can be at the helicopter altitudes or slightly above if anybody wants to go....
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Go to magicseaweed.com and you can look up the predicted swells for most of the US.

Its a combination of buoy data, storm speeds/directions, and wind data.
 
Can you view it there in Princeton.I thought you had to go to AT&T park to see it.
 
Leo O'Farrell said:
My daughter learned to surf last summer staying Maui with my brother. She's only 16 and just wants to go for the event. I'm just glad she still wants to go anywhere with me :). We'll just be watching on screens in the parking lot like everybody else.
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Bring good binoculars and a good long lens camera, I'm not sure where you're gonna be very close, but from the looks of the storm in the NW Pacific, it should be feeding some world class swell by the end of the weekend, it's hurricane strength and has been cooking strong for a couple days now. Usually it takes the swell about 4 days to feed from the Aleutians. You may see some people die if it's full swell in time, so be prepared for that.:( Some of these guys don't know how to say no to a big wave.:nonod:
 
Henning said:
You may see some people die if it's full swell in time, so be prepared for that.:( Some of these guys don't know how to say no to a big wave.:nonod:
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2 in 20+ years so "some people" this Sunday is a pretty lame remark...:rolleyes2:
 
How bad has the morning fog been? Odds good for choppers getting in close enough for good filming?
 
No fog at all. Sturdy crosswind this AM but light winds later.
2.5 and Haze right now though....

Plug in KHAF:

http://maps.avnwx.com/

Just cleared up again at 6:30 PM but:

Surf Height
6:35PM 10-14ft
7ft at 22s WNW (293°)
2ft at 12s WNW (292°)
1ft at 14s S (185°)

Kinda lame......! Keep our fingers crossed!!
 
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Ain't no way I'd get in that water. After having done a bit of low level out there in the airship to take a look while based at HAF, no way.
 
Well, it's only 8 hours 'till they start and the surf is not up enough to be very exciting. Looks like Jeff may have missed this forecast.....we'll see in the AM.
 
Swell at Mavericks today. KOAK to KHAF via KSQL. My daughter took pictures as we circled Mavericks break.
 
What pictures Leo? Am heading over now. Was the diner crowded?
 
Now have the old square tail tied downs and folding bikes out.
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We landed a little after 9:00 and there were only a few planes. It got a little busier later. When they gave us a ride out, we had to detour to the runway to shoe off about 10 people on bikes and one runner on the ACTIVE runway (wow, unbelievable stupidity). The guy driving the shuttle van was a Fireman and he let them have it. After that they planted a fire truck on the taxiway to the South ramp to discourage people from going over there.

The festival was a joke and a complete waste of $10. The "Jumbo Tron" was about 20' X 20' on top of a forklift. It was the only way you could see the contest (you weren't allowed out on the jetty or anywhere near Maverick's) and it was way too small for the venue, which was somewhat like a cattle pen.

On the bright side, you couldn't ask for better weather and they did a great job of herding most of the people into the pen, so we had a good time walking around Half Moon Bay and getting lunch.
 
Half Moon Bay is a beautiful area. I wasn't real happy to get assigned to go out there last summer, but I'm glad it ended up working out that way. It's a really cool area for sure.
 
Wow! What a waste of time if you wanted to see the competition! They have really screwed the pooch on this one. To be safe around all the traffic there was no way to get close enough to see anything. Landed and bought breakfast at the diner, had to refill my own coffee several times then finally had to go find the "waitress" to get a bill. Walked a ways towards the south gate and got a ride from the van about half way. No such luck on the way back. Tried one more time to see something and it wasn't worth it so headed home. It was a beautiful day but the turb was stiff down low off the coast where you have to be to avoid the Class B. All in all, a nice day but as far as Mavericks is concerned, a total waste of time. Don't bother, either by air or driving in. They are just sucking you in to spend money and get zip for it. Sad....
 
aviatingfool said:
Wow! What a waste of time if you wanted to see the competition! They have really screwed the pooch on this one. To be safe around all the traffic there was no way to get close enough to see anything. Landed and bought breakfast at the diner, had to refill my own coffee several times then finally had to go find the "waitress" to get a bill. Walked a ways towards the south gate and got a ride from the van about half way. No such luck on the way back. Tried one more time to see something and it wasn't worth it so headed home. It was a beautiful day but the turb was stiff down low off the coast where you have to be to avoid the Class B. All in all, a nice day but as far as Mavericks is concerned, a total waste of time. Don't bother, either by air or driving in. They are just sucking you in to spend money and get zip for it. Sad....
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Yeah, we hit that turb on the way in. My passenger was a bit disturbed. Man, you couldn't ask for better weather, though! I wasn't grousing too much about the ten bucks I spent on the festival (agree it was a waste, but it got me out there). I watched the highlight video when I got home. I guess I won't do that again, but it was a good day.
 
Yeah, I brought up earlier there's no good way to see the surfing from shore, you either have to be on a boat or down low in the air, it's not a beach break. Even on the jetty you aren't particularly close.
 
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